Though Brenham has a population of about 14,000, the high school there is consistently a hotbed for talented football recruits. Home to athletes such as Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Limas Sweed, LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee, and Texas A&M linebacker Kyle Mangan; Brenham seems to crank out top high-caliber recruits year in and year out. The class of 2012 is no different as they have the state's top ranked DT in Malcolm Brown, and another top-ranked linebacker in Timothy Cole.

Cole made his presence known in his 2009 sophomore campaign as he accumulated over 130 tackles, 12 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He was also named first team All-District.

After WR/FS Terrell Reese and corner Mike Walker graduated and headed to Utah, the defense lacked a sense of leadership that was held by the two seniors. Cole stepped up this spring and assumed all the responsibilities of being a leader for the defense, even though he is just entering his junior season.

"I just feel that I have the tools to lead this team and this defense in the right direction," he said.

Watching Cole at practice it is easy to see that the other players look to him for guidance. Cole is quick to get on a teammate if they are out of position or miss an assignment, but he is also the first one there to congratulate someone on a big play. He is an extremely vocal leader and communicates with his teammates both pre-snap and during the play.

Before fall practices started Cole made his way to a couple of camps, eager to soak up as much information as possible.

"I went to camps at UT and A&M this summer. I liked the UT camp and felt that I preformed pretty well there," Cole said. "Coach (Will) Muschamp showed me some new things so that was cool."

Another school competing for Cole's services is Texas A&M. One thing Tim likes about the Aggies is his relationship with the coaching staff.

"Coach Dat, Coach Sherman, and I are real close. They are always telling me things I can work on to become a better player," he said.

Before entering his junior season, Cole has three offers, but is receiving interest from more schools.

"Right now I have offers from A&M, Virginia, and Texas State. A couple other schools that have been contacting me are Texas and Texas Tech," he said.

Cole stated in a recent article with CavsCorner.com that the Aggies were atop his leader board, but that doesn't mean that he is looking to make a decision anytime soon.

"Right now I just want to wait and see what offers come my way, then I will decide," he said.

The team that does land Cole will be receiving a very instinctive linebacker who has a knack for disrupting plays in the backfield. Tim Cole and the Brenham Cubs start the season Aug. 27 in an away game against Huntsville. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30.